


Shut Up and Dance

by Aurorazilla



Category: Archie Comics, Archie Comics & Related Fandoms, Riverdale (TV 2017)
Genre: F/F, Im sorry omg, Song Fic Kinda, a;sldkfj, but aaAAA this weekend i swear it's getting updated and it's a good chapter, i was too tired to finish strangers im sorry, just a cheesy trope, just a short one shot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-04
Updated: 2018-05-04
Packaged: 2019-05-02 00:33:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,140
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14532801
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Aurorazilla/pseuds/Aurorazilla
Summary: Cheryl is alone at the Spring Formal that's meant to bring the North and Southsiders together. And a certain pink-haired Serpent happens to catch her eye.





	Shut Up and Dance

**Author's Note:**

> hey whaddup strangers is coming this weekend and maybe fucketlist   
> anyway sorry for being inactive  
> i am tired and also have been distracted <3

Cheryl stares into the mirror and frowns. It feels… empty. Wrong. She stares and stares, her reflection unchanging and so, so alone. Normally, Jason would be beside her, smiling that goofy smile that always relaxed her. She’s always sort of hated being in social school situations - but that disdain is amplified now that she has to face it alone. And, ugh, it’s for the  _Southsiders_. Meant to bring both sides together or some crap. **  
**

Ugh.

She sighs, turning away to grab her purse. Her mother isn’t downstairs, but she figures it’s for the best. May as well not waste any more of her precious time tonight.

**BIronica  
 _hey u almost here?_**

**OUTGOING  
 _on my way._**

She’s still frowning when she walks into the gymnasium. It’s been horrendously decorated - as expected, with Betty Cooper in charge of the planning - and there are students awkwardly mingling around the floor. Josie and the Pussycats are already performing, but Cheryl avoids looking. There’s always a bitter taste on the back of her tongue when she looks up at Josie.

A pang of something unpleasant strikes her chest when Veronica and Betty approach, holding hands. Veronica is grinning, and Cheryl tries to ignore that ache again.

“Cheryl!” Veronica exclaims excitedly. Cheryl tries not to cringe.

“Hey,” she says instead, her tongue feeling thick in her mouth.

“Don’t look so sour,” Veronica sighs, pulling Cheryl into a hug. “This is supposed to be  _fun_ remember?”

Cheryl shrugs. “I guess so.”

There’s a pause.

Cheryl toys with the strap of her red dress, feeling a bit like escaping. When Kevin approaches, she takes the chance and scurries away from the trio. She makes her way to the refreshments, looking at the assorted soft drinks and punch. She’s fairly certain the punch is spiked, so she reaches for a cola instead.

She’s never really good at this. Friends. Just friends. _“I like Betty. I just feel like you can’t open-”_

“Lemme guess: a cherry cola for Cheryl Bombshell.” The voice makes Cheryl stiffen, her negative thoughts stopping abruptly when she turns to look at the thorn in her side for the past few weeks: Toni Topaz donning that fucking smirk.

Cheryl sighs. “What do you want? And why are you stalking me?”

Toni is wearing a strapless black dress that is definitely against dress code, especially with how high on her thighs it ends. Cheryl can see her chest rise and fall with each breath.

“I’m  _not_.” Toni crosses her arms. “I came here with Fangs but he ditched me for Keller.” She pauses. “Are you okay?”

“I’m alone at the Spring Formal. My brother and I used to go together every year because he probably felt sorry for me because I drive everyone away and nobody would ask me. The two… people that I used to like are here with other people.” Cheryl replies bitterly. “So no. I am really not.”

Toni quirks an eyebrow. “Well, I can’t let a pretty girl like you stand over here all by herself. What do you say, bombshell? Wanna dance?”

Cheryl blushes, setting down her cherry cola. “We’re both girls.”

“Yeah? And?”

Huh. Cheryl shrugs, still blushing, and Toni offers her hand out.

“Don’t look at them. It’s just you and me, Cheryl.” Her tone is soft and enticing and before she knows it, Cheryl is taking Toni’s hand and letting the shorter girl guide her through the throng of student bodies.

Cheryl finds herself falling into Toni’s movements with ease. The pair dance like they’ve always danced together, and she’s shocked by how easily their bodies move together. She feels none of her former negative emotions towards the Serpent. To be honest, she feels a bit… drawn to Toni. In a weird kind of way. Like they’ve been two supernovas, destined to collide. A push and pull that was bound to knock off course.

When the song changes to a slow one, Toni raises her eyebrows at Cheryl.

“I’d like to keep dancing, but no pressure if you don’t want to.”

But she does. She wants to, because suddenly she wants to press their bodies together. So she places her arms around Toni’s shoulders, and Toni’s hands find her waist. They’re not too far apart, now, and the air between them shifts.

And she knows Toni feels it, too. Because Toni’s eyes are dark, full of wonder. Endless galaxies that are drawing Cheryl in. And, God, Cheryl wants to be taken in and never let go.

She thinks-

Maybe-

Just  _maybe_ , Toni could-

“I need- need- air.” Cheryl sputters, yanking herself away.  _Deviant_.  _Loveless_. “Sorry.” She scurries out of the school, the cool night air hitting her with instant relief.

God.

She almost-

Fuck. She can’t let this happen again.

She can’t-

It’s wrong. It’s wrong, it’s wrong, and-

And if her mother found out-

God, and Toni is a  _Serpent_ -

Her lungs burn for oxygen. She gulps it greedily, moving to a hidden corner of the building’s exterior to catch her breath. Her eyes are clenched shut, throat swelling unpleasantly.

“Cheryl,” a voice makes her look up, eyes opened. Toni.  _Again_. Fuck. “Cheryl, I’m sorry. Are you-”

“I can’t.” Cheryl blurts.

“Can’t…?” Toni frowns, stepping towards her.

“I’m- if my mother- I can’t be-”

“Cheryl.” Toni closes the distance somewhat, placing a hand on Cheryl’s arm. “Cheryl, it’s okay.”

“Toni, I’m-” Cheryl takes a deep breath. “I like girls. And you- you coming around like that, it made it seem like…”

“Like?” Toni presses gently.

“Like you were interested. I don’t know. I’m- I can’t-”

“I was. I  _am_.”

Cheryl’s voice catches in her throat. “You- I- what?”

“I like you.”

“Oh.”

“Oh?”

Cheryl sighs. “If my mother…”

“Don’t worry about her.” Toni moves her hand down. “What do  _you_ want, Cheryl?”

Cheryl swallows thickly, meeting Toni’s gaze. “I want… you.”

Toni steps forward, moving her hand to Cheryl’s cheek. “You want me?”

Cheryl nods, eyes moving to Toni’s lips. They’re so close now, she can feel Toni’s body heat. Toni smiles, and Cheryl’s heart melts. Toni leans in, pressing a kiss to Cheryl’s lips.

And, fuck, for the first time in forever, Cheryl feels wanted. Feels…  _right_. God, she feels like she belongs and that’s-

It’s-

Toni pulls back, smiling wide. It reaches her eyes. Cheryl wants to kiss a thousand smiles onto Toni’s lips.

“Let’s get out of here. Get some shakes?” Toni offers and Cheryl grins.

“Are you asking me on a date, Topaz?”

“Are you saying yes to my date offer, Blossom?”

Cheryl pretends to think for a moment. “Well… I suppose I can’t say no after a kiss like that.”

Toni snorts. “Well, if you’re lucky, you’ll get plenty more.”

Cheryl giggles. She hopes, with every fibre of her being, that she gets to experience as many of Toni Topaz’s kisses as possible.

**Author's Note:**

> thanks for the patience my beautiful lovelies <3 you all make me smile


End file.
